Foolish Hearts
by KGStutts
Summary: Sequel to "The heart doesn't know what it's doing" CM Punk has let his intentions known that he wants Kristina back but she's been fighting it. What's it going to take for her to let Punk back into her heart?
1. Chapter 1

Punk and I were beginning to feel like how we used to be again. It was great having my friend back. Adam didn't seem to like me being friends with Punk again but he said he trusted me. It felt good hearing a boyfriend say those words to me.

Adam asked me about the truth between Punk and me. I told him that I will always love Phil and had felt like he was the one but that didn't effect how I felt about him. I told Adam that I wanted to be with him and only him. If he needed me to, I would tell him every day that it was him that I wanted to be with. He seemed to drop the conversation after that.

Still, I could feel that Adam was pulling away from me. The distance between us was beginning to grow. By the beginning of May, I was fielding rumors that he was cheating on me. Adam would assure me that I had nothing to worry about but something wasn't clicking with us the way it used to. I chalked it up to being paranoid due to the fact that we were both on the road again and didn't get to see much of each other. Adam said he was going to make it up to me by spending a week in Chicago. Chris had bought a house in the suburbs and invited all of us to his house warming party. It was the first time Adam had really been around my friends and he wasn't acting like himself. He seemed distracted and kept checking his phone.

I pulled him away to the gazebo and asked if everything was alright. He reassured me that everything was fine, that he was just checking in with the rest of the band who was putting finishing touches on a new song.

Punk sought me out in the gazebo once I was alone. "So, that's Adam, huh? Seems like a great guy."

"Yeah, he's pretty terrific."

"So how am I doing? Am I 100% back in your good graces?"

I shook my head. "If you've got to ask, Punk, then the answer is no." my focus was straight ahead, not looking at him.

"You're still calling me Punk? You use to call me Phil or P even before we dated."

"That was then. Punk is name you told me to call you. You won't hear anything else till I think you've earned the right to be called something else. Just be glad it's no longer asshole."

Punk let out a hard breath of air. "Look." He said, stepping in front of me, forcing me to look at him.

"I can't take back what I said and did. I must have replayed that night a million times over in my head. If I could go back in time and stop myself from making the biggest mistake of my life, I would. It's been amazing the last month being your friend again but I still miss you. I still love you, Krissy. I have never stopped loving you, wanting you, or needing you. Do you think you can ever find it in my heart to love me again?"

"No." I said quickly.

I looked deep in his brown eyes so he would know that I meant what I said.

"You told me that you could never want to be with me again, even if I was the last person on Earth. You put me through hell these last few years, because you didn't trust me. Adam does. I don't _want_ to be in love with you. I'm with Adam. I choose _him_. You and I are friends. Nothing more. Now if you'll excuse me." I said, taking off my cover and jumping in the pool.

As soon as I hit the water, I wanted to take back my words. Punk was trying but I was blocking him at every effort. But too much time had passed for me to take him seriously at the moment. My words, however true it felt, were only meant to hurt him.


	2. Chapter 2: The model truth

"You're going to want to see this." Tamma told me, ushering me out of the pool a little bit later.

"Oh no. Whenever you say that, it's always something I don't want to see. What is it?" I asked her.

She held up the smartphone I had gotten her. I took it from her and looked at the page she had pulled up. It was a TMZ article on Adam. The picture was him leaving a club with a leggy blonde on his arm. The article stated that he had partied all night with her and had been seen making out and lots of public displays of affection the entire night. It called into question Adam's and my relationship.

"This has got to be some mistake. He told me he was at the studio when this article says he as at this club." I stated. There had to be a logical explanation for it.

Tamma had called someone in WWE's public relations who gave me the number for Harvey Levinstein, the guy who runs TMZ.

While I was on the phone, I saw Colt, Chris, and Punk talking with Adam under an oak tree in the corner of the yard. Colt would later tell me about the conversation.

"You know, we don't have to be friends because I'm dating one of yours." Adam told the group of wrestlers.

"We just have Kris's best interests at heart and if that's you, so be it." Chris told Adam.

Punk and Adam stared at each other with intensity.

"If you ever hurt her, I'm coming after you." Punk told Adam.

Adam took a step back and hung his head in his hands.

"You've got to be kidding me." Colt stated.

"I guess I better start running now." Adam said after a few minutes. Adam proceeded to tell them about an underwear model he had started seeing behind my back right after I started back on the road.

"You've been cheating on her? How could you?" Punk demanded.

"I thought things were going great between us then you came back in her life. I thought that I was secure in our relationship but I was wrong. I was…I was scared she was going to leave me for you. I have heard all about the two of you and I got scared. She told me once that you were the love of her life but you left her broken. She told me….she told me you were the one. Now you come waltzing back in once I got her pieces back together." Adam threw it in Punk's face.

"I'm human and this schedule is hard on a couple. I didn't know what moves you were putting on her and if they were working…"

Punk cut Adam off. "You are unbelievable! She just got through telling me that she doesn't want me! She chose you not more than five minutes ago. Because she loves you and you trust her. Now you're telling me…" Punk's words ran off.

"She did? Kris really said that?" Adam looked up, tears welling up in his eyes.

"She just told me there was no hope for us." Punk said softly.

"You've got to tell her. You've got to tell her before we do." Colt informed Adam.

"Ugh I want this madness to end!" I said, unknowingly walking into an intense conversation.

"Madness?" Adam quizzed, wiping the tears from his eyes before I could see.

"I just got off the phone with TMZ. They say they have a picture of you with some model leaving a club." I scoffed. "I demanded they take the picture down on the website. They insist that it's a real picture but anything to stir up controversy."

Adam turned green. "Is everything okay?" I asked, looking over at my friends.

Adam was not meeting my eyes. "Adam? Adam tell me this isn't true." I demanded.

Adam finally swung his eyes to meet mine. He didn't have to say anything; I could read it in his expression. I closed my eyes, composing myself so I could even look at him.

"But you said…" My voice trailed off. After a moment, I looked back up.

"Chris, this has been a great party. But I think it is best that Adam and I go now." I said, saving face, giving Chris a kiss on the cheek.

"Call me." Colt told me as I hugged him bye. I just looked at Punk who was glaring intensely at Adam.

"Stop it." I told Punk, hugging him quickly. He never took his glare off of Adam.


	3. Chapter 3: Breaking up with Adam

It was a quiet drive back to my apartment. Adam sat on the couch staring at the floor.

"So it's true." I said, breaking the silence.

"Yes." Adam said quietly, not looking up at me.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" I demanded to know.

"I thought I was a place holder."

"I'm sorry, you thought what?"

"I thought I was a place holder, until you and Punk could be together. I didn't know…"

"You didn't believe me when I told you I only wanted to be with you? Is that it?"

"I…I don't know. I'm so sorry, Kristina. I am so sorry." He began to cry.

"Adam, I just don't understand what I did wrong."

That made Adam's head snap up. "YOU did nothing." He said, standing up. "This isn't your fault. It's mine. It's all my fault. We were spending less time together and I was missing you. I grew weak and lonely. I'm so sorry. I used the whole Punk thing as an excuse but in reality, I was just being a guy. I didn't mean to hurt you. I wasn't thinking about that. I was just really lonely and missing you and she was there."

Tears were rolling hard down my face. Before I could stop myself, I slapped him hard.

"I'm sorry." I instantly apologize.

"I deserved that. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm so sorry." Adam once again apologized.

"So, you lied to me about the model and you lied just now about Punk?"

"I just, I don't know. I'm so, so sorry. I think it was easier to believe that you were going to leave me for him than to admit that I wanted something else. Then Punk told me…"

"Punk told you what?" I demanded to know.

"He told me that he asked you to take him back but you chose me."

"He told you this today?"

"Under the tree, right before you joined us."

"So how much of this was about Punk?"

"A little, I guess. I was worried about the two of you being together but I know you well enough to know that you aren't a cheater."

"So why the lies?"

"To try to spare you."

"Spare me? To keep me from getting hurt? Adam, this hurts regardless! I just need to understand."

"You told me he was the one. I thought that it would be only a matter of time before you chose him over me. And she was there, willing to listen. Then listening turned into kissing. And kissing turned into other things… I thought it was already over between us but the words."

"Even if that was true, Adam, the words are still very important."

"I know. I'm sorry. I want to make it work with us. Do you think we can try? Can we move past this?" he asked.

There was a long silence as he waited for my answer.

"No. I'm sorry but no. We can't move past this." I told him.


	4. Chapter 4: Confessions

Adam took the next flight back to L.A. I sat on my couch with tears running down my face, staring at my phone. I wanted to call Colt or Tamma so badly but I just didn't feel like I had it in me to tell the story over the phone. Adam had tweeted out that he was sorry, that he had just hurt someone he truly cared about. Apparently that was all Colt needed to know. Colt entered my apartment without knocking, DVDs in one hand and a pint of Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia in the other.

"When did I become the gay best friend?" My goofy friend asked with a smile.

Tamma, Chris and Punk were trailing him. "Oh no. I don't want to see you right now." I told Punk.

"I'm not here to say or do anything. I'm just here to support my friend who just got her heart broken." He told me sincerely.

"Alright, but be on your best behavior." I warned him.

Tamma and the boys sat with me for hours as I spilled the whole story and cried. The minute the tears stopped, the anger started.

"How dare he! First he blames you." I thrusting my finger towards Punk. "Then he blames the schedule. Then it's "oh I was lonely". Did he not think I was lonely too? But yet I could resist the urge to hop in someone's bed. I managed to keep my pants on."

"You're better off without him." Chris told me.

"Damn right I am! Not how I pictured this to end."

"Wait, you pictured it to end?" Colt asked me. I looked at him, slightly confused.

"Yeah. I knew Adam and I weren't going to last forever. He wasn't my lightening bolt." I told Colt, who knew exactly what I meant.

"So, you're just angry that he cheated, not that it's over?" Tamma asked me. I laughed a little.

"I suppose I am." I wiped the tears from my cheeks. "That's what I'm hurt about. Not that it's over. But that he couldn't tell me about his model girlfriend." I leaned back into my couch.

"What an asshole." I said, chuckling a little. The guys laughed.

"Screw Adam Levine! Who did he ever beat? Not Samoa Joe!" Colt exclaimed, rocking back in his chair.

I laughed at my friend, who almost fell out of his chair.

"So, can I ask you something?" Punk asked.

"Sure, why not." I replied.

"Has it only been me and Adam in the last several years?"

"Well, she hasn't dated anyone else." Chris pointed out.

"I didn't ask if she dated anyone." Punk stated.

My face turned red as I rolled my eyes up to the ceiling.

"Kristina Marie! You said you had no interest in dating anyone." Colt said, shocked.

"Yeah, I said I wasn't interested in dating. I never said I didn't have a friend." I pointed out.

Colt stared at me for a moment, with his mouth wide open.

"It's like I don't know you at all." Colt said, throwing his hands up in the air.

"There were two. One when I started on TV that I kind of regret and one when I went back to the indys that I don't regret in the slightest." I told them.

"Wait, Moxley?" Tamma asked.

"On my last night in Dragon Gate." I admitted.

"You're such a slut." Tamma said, smacking me with a pillow.

"Hardly. Considering I can count how many sexual partners I've had on one hand, I don't think I qualify." I roll my eyes.

"Moxley doesn't surprise me. I watched you in Dragon Gate. You two had some major chemistry flowing." Chris nodded.

"I'm not even going to ask." Tamma said but the look on her face said she was curious.

"I really liked Jon. And if I hadn't been so hung up on someone else." I gave Punk a bitter look. "I might've dated him. There were other factors too. I don't regret it. We still talk a lot. He's down in FCW still. They changed his name now to Dean Ambrose. He's doing good down there."

"And the other? The regret?" Colt asked. He almost looked pained to ask the question.

"It's not a big deal. I was trying to move on with my life after I was called up to the Smackdown roster when I first started with the company. It didn't last long."

"That's what she said." Punk said.

I hit him with a couch pillow.

"So who was it?" Colt pressed.

I made a face and shook my head.

"Oh, come on now! Who was it? Let's see, it was 2006?" Colt asked.

"It was 2005." I corrected.

"See, this is the part where you tell us it actually was John Cena." Chris teased.

I smacked him in the face with the other couch pillow.

"I know, it was Dave Batista." Punk chimed in.

"Oh, don't think he didn't try. It took all of me to not laugh in his face. It wasn't Batista." I responded.

"Jeff Hardy." Tamma threw out a suggestion.

I glared hard at her.

"No freaking way." I told her, taking a sip of water.

"Bryan Danielson." Chris suggested.

"He wasn't even in the company at that point. Bryan and I have never been anything more than friends." I said.

"It was Randy Orton, wasn't it." Punk said, rather matter-of-factly.

I nearly choked on my water.

"It was Orton, wasn't it? Until he was suspended for drug usage." Punk asked again.

I chewed on one of my nails for a moment before nodded. The different reactions were highly amusing. Colt fell out of his chair. Tamma raised her hand up to give me a high five. Punk sucked on his bottom lip like he does when he's upset. Chris roared with laughter. I covered my face with my hands.

"Atta girl." Tamma teased.

"Look, don't get me started. Punk and I had decided we were going to go off in different directions. I wasn't ready to be in another relationship but I was lonely. Randy was able to help me through that. So we hooked up for a few months. He was then suspended for drug usage and got engaged while he was gone. He and I remained close friends. Just friends. He helped me with an itch." I said.

Punk knew exactly what I meant by that.

"So, if he was able to scratch that itch then, why did you turn to me?"

"Well, for one, because he's married now. I know that doesn't stop a lot of people in this company but it stops me. And two, because I wanted you. I could have been with anyone else that night and before I solicited you, I had offers. I wanted you. You weren't supposed to be just an itch. You became an itch when you became an ass."

"I said I was sorry for that." Punk once again apologized.

"I know I had said no strings attached that night but you should have known better than that, Punk. Your words really hurt."

"So what's it going to take to get you to call me Phil or P again?"

"Shall we count your misdemeanors? Let's start with the biggest. You didn't believe me when I told you nothing was going on between me and John Cena. How do you think that made me feel? For you to ignore me, act as if we weren't anything together when we were everything. We were everything, we had everything! It was you and me. There was no one else. And suddenly, I was less than a co-worker to you in the locker room."

Punk opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off.

"No, I'm not done yet. It's been you and me since 2001, Punk. We've been everything to each other, even when we were seeing other people. You were the guy that I thought knew me down to my molecules. After everything that we've been through, I thought we would at least still be friends. And suddenly I wasn't anything to you. I was barely someone you used to know. How do you think that made me feel?" I asked again.

Once again, Punk tried to speak but I cut him off.

"I will let you know when it's your turn. The Straight Edge Society worked because of us. Luke was great, of course, but you and I were what made that group work. Do you have any clue how hard it was to go out in front of the fans and work when you wouldn't even acknowledge me in the back? Do you have an idea of how it felt if I wanted to relay a message to you in the locker room, I had to go through Luke? You tell me you want to be my friend after three years of that crap. And I'm supposed to just take it all in stride? I'm supposed to believe you when you say that you're sorry. I need something more than words, Punk."

There was a long silence. Everyone seemed to be afraid to talk. I let out a deep breath, leaning my head back on my couch.

"Now you may talk." I said, gesturing with my hands that the floor was his.

"What is it that you need?" He asked quietly.

"I need proof that if down the road we try us again, you're not going to hurt me like you've done before. I want it all or I want none of it. I want everything back. I'm not going to settle for anything less next time, if there is a next time. I want all of you or I don't want to want you anymore. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly. I think I've agitated you enough for one night. I'm going to go home." He said, standing up.

"No, Punk, that's not..."

"Krissy, it's okay. You and I aren't there yet. I get that. I hope that soon we will be. I shouldn't have tried to force this. I'm going to go now."

I had tears streaming down my face as Punk shut the door behind him. Tamma curled up beside me, handing me a spoon and offered up her carton of ice cream.

"Why do I feel like I broke up with two guys in one day?" I asked.

"You were kind of harsh on Punk." Colt reluctantly said.

"I know you aren't sticking up for him. Tamma, fix your boy."

"He's not my boy when he says something stupid like that." She said, shaking her head.

"Hey, come on now, that's not right. Punk knows he's made mistakes. Made big mistakes." Colt clarified once he saw the look on my face.

"He wants to make it right. I know he hurt you, Kris, but he's trying to make it up to you and you're not letting him."

"I'm sorry, Colt, but I'm not ready to forgive him yet. I know I will eventually, but I think he should crawl a little bit first. His words aren't enough to make it up to me this time." I told him.

"So you want action." Colt said, sitting on his hands.

"I think I deserve it, don't you?"

"What kind of action?"

"Oh no, that would be telling. Punk is creative and a romantic. He'll figure it out."


	5. Chapter 5: Sometimes, things just click

About a month or so later, I was hanging out with John and Punk at catering hours before Raw started. Punk had been great about not pushing the issue with us in the last month. Things seemed to gradually be going back to the way it used to be with us. That night, everything seemed to click for me. We were talking and cutting up so hard that I had tears running down my face. I placed my hand on the top of Phil's.

"I've missed this, P! Where have you been?" I asked him.

A surge of energy rocketed through me at our simple touch. I sucked in a breath at the feeling.

"I don't know. I know it's taken me a while to get back here. And I'm not leaving again." He told me.

"Better not." I told him, placing my head on his shoulder.

Phil nuzzled his head against mine. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw John looking on us with amusement. His blue eyes shined as he sat smiling, not saying a word.

A few hours later, I was in the back at the beginning of Raw watching the monitors. The opening segment was supposed to be Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne defending the tag titles but instead, Raw opened with Phil in the ring, calling my name.

"I've hijacked the show for a few minutes. I hope you don't mind." He told the WWE Universe. "I would like to invite a very special lady out here. You know her as Jasmine. I've known her for ten years as Kristina. Krissy, would you mind coming out?"

I looked over at John, confused.

"You'd better go." He encouraged.

Vince McMahon was standing by the curtain, grinning. I stopped for a moment, trying to read his face and he nudged me towards the entrance. I walked down the ramp towards the ring, a little apprehensive as to why Phil would call me out in front of the live crowd.

"Hey beautiful." He greeted.

"What's this all about?" I asked him, not into the microphone that the ring announcer, Justin Roberts, handed me.

"I think the WWE Universe is well versed in our past." He began. "But I'm a bit of a storyteller. If you would indulge me a little." He winked at me. "Ten years ago, before anyone had heard of CM Punk and Jasmine Brooks, there was Phil Brooks and Kristina Gause. For ten years, I have been in love with this beautiful woman."

The crowd cheered in response.

"Now, I was stupid somewhere in time and I lost her. I lost the love of my life and I lost my best friend. I've said and did some pretty hurtful things. I know I haven't been the man that you deserve. For that, I will be forever sorry and if you would let me, I want to spend the rest of my life making up for being apart the last six years, Krissy. Being without you has been complete torture. I know most of that was self induced on my part. I love you more now than I thought was ever possible. Even at my worst, I never stopped loving you. I never stopped wanting to be with you. You're the only one I ever want to be with." Phil took my hand, pulling me closer to him. "I know I don't deserve to ask this of you, but would you consider giving us one more shot?"

I had to take a step back; my head was spinning just being so close to him. There was something more to his words, to his voice, than there has been before. There was a desperate plea in his voice and in his eyes. His body shook a little as he waited for my response.

"I…" I tried to begin but I stopped, emotions choking my words. The crowd began chanting "CM Punk!"

"I don't know." I finally responded to a chorus of boos.

"Now wait a minute. Let's hear her out." He told the audience.

"I don't doubt that you are the love of my life. But I'm not sure what that means anymore. Everything we been through the last few years hasn't been easy for me. You broke me when you didn't trust me, no matter what I did to try to prove to you. It's been torture for me too. I'm not sure I can trust you again. I…I need a little time." I told him. Phil touched my cheek gently.

"You take all the time you need. I told you before; I'm not going anywhere this time."

I walked in the back holding back tears. Phil had put it out there in front of everyone to see the heart on his sleeve and I know that isn't easy for him. He prided himself with his privacy. John put his arm around my shoulder as I walked through the curtain, giving it a squeeze. Phil was right behind me, slightly touching my lower back.

"I mean it, give me a week. I have to have some time to figure out my head." I told Phil.

"I can respect that." He said, walking away.

"Jas, I know it's not my place to say anything. But I don't think it's your head that you need to figure out." John told me.

"That's where you're wrong. My head is screaming at me that I should have taken him back. It's my heart that's confused. You know what he's put me through, John. Can I really give him back my heart? It's a little more fragile than it was before. How do I know he won't just break it again?" I asked. The question seemed to hover above my head.


	6. Chapter 6: Match with Colt

I spent the next few days considering what he told me. Phil's gesture really moved me, how open and honest he was in front of millions of people. The thought came that I should have a gesture of my own. I called up Vince with an idea then I called Colt. I had a surprise for Phil that would partially give him an answer. I spent two days in front of my computer coming up with a video for Colt. Then on Raw, had sent word for Phil to go to join the commentary team of Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole, but didn't tell him why he was out there. In front of the Canton, Ohio crowd, Colt Cabana's custom music that he's well known for using hit.

"This is a special challenge match. Introducing first, from Chicago, IL, weighing in tonight at 233 lbs, Colt Cabana!" Justin Roberts introduced.

The place went completely nuts. Colt was in front of a WWE crowd in all his glory. Phil was surprised and excitedly told the audience watching from home who Colt was. Colt jogged over to the announce table.

"She did this! Look at that video!" Colt pointed to the screen as shots of Colt wrestling played with his music.

Backstage, I took a deep breath and zipped up my hoodie. I stood at the curtain waiting for Phil's and my old Ring of Honor music, "Miseria Cantare (the Beginning) by AFI" to play, wearing the same gear that I wore when I wrestled Colt for the first time in Ring of Honor. John gave my shoulder a quick squeeze for luck as the music began to play. Canton, Ohio was very familiar with the Second City Saints so I was hoping for it to not be lost on the crowd. I wasn't disappointed.

"And making her way to the ring, she is from Charleston, SC. Ladies and Gentleman, Kristina Kincaid!"

The place came unglued. I walked to the ring in the same fashion that I did in the first match with Colt, unzipping my hoodie and tossed it at Phil at the announce table, revealing the gear I was wearing. Phil stood up and clapped. I winked at him. Colt and I then wrestled for ten minutes. The crowd was on their feet as I hit my moonsault and won the match. Phil threw down the headset and hopped into the ring. I held my hand out, stopping him before he could get to me. Justin handed me a microphone.

"And this is the part over eight years ago where you and I kissed in front of a live crowd for the first time. But not this time." I informed him.

Phil took a step back, a little confused.

"I called in a few favors to pull this off. I wanted to prove to you how special you are to me. I still love you, P." I told him.

The crowd went nuts again.

"But I wasn't kidding when I said I need some time to figure out what that means. What I told you that day at Chris's, I meant it. I don't want to love you anymore but I still do. I love you so much, even despite you being an ass. P, I'm scared to let myself love you again. I'm scared to give you my heart again."

The crowd booed, and by Phil's reaction, I could tell my words stung him a little.

"And I'm scared that you are going to hurt me again." I admitted.

Phil shook his head, ready to protest.

"But that doesn't mean I'm not willing." I told him, the crowd cheered loudly again. "There's been a lot of bad between us the last three years. But before that, there was a whole hell of a lot of good that spanned seven years. I was broken many years ago and you put me back together. I was whole when I was with you. Then you broke me and truth be told, I haven't fully recovered from that yet. If you break me again, I don't think there will be a putting me back together again." I warned him.

Phil smiled. "Not this time."

"I still am needing time. I'm just willing to try and move past this. I want you back. I really do, P. I'm more open now than ever before. I just need a little more time."

"I'll take it." He beamed.

"I do have a question that I need answered and I need time to answer that. I hope you understand."

"No, I do. I completely understand. Can I ask what is the question that you have, though? Maybe I can help." He asked.

"I'm not ready for that. No, this is something I need to figure out on my own." Then I rolled out of the ring.


	7. Chapter 7: Backstage

Colt and I hugged backstage. Shortly, Phil joined us. "That was certainly something. It was a great match. I loved it." He said. "Take the time that you need."

"Let me ask you something." I began.

"Please, ask me anything." Phil encouraged.

"What happened that night when you thought you saw me with John? The truth."

There was a long pause. "You said I could ask you anything. And I need to know." I prodded.

"Truth is, I got jealous of the time you were spending with him. I knew it was all for the job but I still got jealous. And didn't help that you two have great chemistry. Rumors were circulating that you two were seeing each other and I think I just got caught up in all that. There was also a part of me that wanted to have some freedom. In my heart, I knew that you are the one for me. I wanted to have my fun before we settled down. I thought I could without it hurting you. I love you but I wasn't ready for the whole picture of us. Then the idea of you being with someone else tore a hole in me. I..." then he looked a little sheepish.

"I wanted to push you away, hoping that it would make things easier. Plus, there was a part of me that began to think that maybe Cena was better for you than me. I began to doubt that I should be the one for you. Once that thought hit me, I was a miserable ass. And for that, I'm truly sorry. I wanted you to be happy but I was so beyond that point, I didn't think it was me. I was hoping if I was a big enough ass, you would move on and stop loving me."

I finally understood.

I took a moment to let the facts sink in. "I did move on from you but never once did I stop loving you. Thank you for your honesty. I need some time to think this over."


	8. Chapter 8: Heartbreaking realizations

The following week, John and I had a huge amount of media appearances but all anyone seemed to want to talk about was me and Phil. I refused to answer the questions and kept trying to focus the attention onto John. John wasn't a big help with that either. He kept trying to encourage the questions, hoping I would give some kind of answer.

"CM Punk is willing to give me the time I need to figure this out. Why can't you?" I asked him.

John dropped the matter after that.

That Sunday, John and I had a lot of media interviews. All I wanted to do was curl up in bed. I broke free as soon as I was able to and rushed back to the hotel. I fell face first into my pillow an hour later. Tamma and I had connecting rooms in the hotel. She came into the room without knocking.

"Let me tell you about the conversation I just had with Punk." Tamma began, sitting on the bed.

"Do I have to?" I groaned into the pillow.

"You're going to want to hear this. Sit up."

I grumbled something into the pillow. Tamma snatched the pillow from under me, forcing me to lift my head.

"Up! Come on, you're going to want to hear this." she repeated.

"What is it, Tamma? I've been up since 5AM due to media appearances with John to promote the Money in the Bank pay-per-view but all anyone wanted to talk about was CM Punk. I'm tired of talking about CM Punk."

"He isn't being a douche bag. He thought he was doing the right thing." she continued, ignoring my statement.

"What are you talking about?" I said, finally sitting up.

"Someone got it in his head that you were better off without him. Before you ask, he wouldn't tell me who. Punk felt that you deserved someone better than he felt he was. So he's been acting like an ass to push you away."

"Well, it worked. He got what he wanted."

"But that's not what he wanted, Kat. He wants you. He wants to be with you."

"He sure has a hell of a way to show it!" I exclaim, beyond tired to make sense of her words.

"Yes, that's true. But he told me that he realized that Adam is the only guy that you dated since him."

"Tam, none of this is news. So?"

"So? Now is not the time to be thick. Why is Adam the first guy you've dated since Punk?"

"Because I haven't found anyone that I was interested in dating." I answered.

"And?"

"And what? Tamma, I'm tired. I'm stressed out. Out with it."

Tamma ignored my pleas and made a noise out of frustration.

"Because even when he treated you like you were nothing to him, you still loved him. You still do love him."

"Yes, so?"

"So? So why aren't you down the hall with him right now?"

"It's more complicated than that."

"How is it complicated? You're in love with him. He's in love with you. What is complicated about that?"

"What if…what if it is too late for that?"

"What are you talking about?"

"What if it's too late to say I love you. What if we can't get back what we had. What if we can't get back to where we were?"

"What I'm hearing from you right now is fear."

I laid back down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Can you blame me?"

"Yes, yes I can." Tamma matter-of-factly said.

"You know what Punk and I have been through."

"And I know what you two mean to each other. I know that you've spent the last three years waiting for your Phil to come back. He's here, Kat. He's down the hall, waiting for you to make a decision."

"I just need a little time."

"How much more time needs to pass? Why are you acting scared?"

"I _am_ scared. I can't have my heart broken again. I wouldn't be able to handle it."

"Scaredy cat." Tamma teased, poking me.

"Don't poke me." I told her.

"Scaredy cat." she said again, poking me.

"I said don't poke the bear."

"What bear? I see a scaredy cat. Scaredy cat." she said, poking again.

I pushed her off the bed with my foot. She laughed at me, then made me sit back up.

"I may not have always been the biggest fan of Punk's but I want you to be happy. And I really think your happiness is down the hall."

"My happiness, as you put it, didn't believe me when I said I didn't do anything with John Cena."

"It wasn't you that he didn't believe." she stated.

"Tamma say what again?" I asked, leaning forward.

"He didn't in that moment. But he realized later that you would never intentionally lie to him or cheat on him, he felt like he didn't deserve you. Punk felt like, in that moment of doubt, he lost you."

"If that is true, why didn't he just come to me and explain?"

"I asked him that. Punk said that he knew if he did, you two would eventually get back together, but he felt like he didn't deserve you. He wanted you to move on to someone that he felt could be better for you. So he tried to push you away. He felt it was for your own good. But it backfired on him."

"Because no matter what he did..."

"You still loved him." Tamma finished.

"No matter what happened between us..."

"Your feelings didn't change." she continued.

"You know what, that kind of makes since in P's brain." I said with a slight chuckle.

"Are you going to talk to him?"

"I think I am." I said, standing up.

"Atta girl." Tamma said with a smile.

I walked down the hall to Phil's room. Just before I was about to knock on the door, I could hear a man and a woman's voice. It was muffled so I couldn't make out who it was. Judging by the noise, I could tell what was going on. I backed away from the door without knocking. I sat against the door connecting Tamma and my room and banged my head repeatedly against the door.

"Why are you back?" Tamma asked through the door.

"Apparently I was right. It is too late for us." I said, still banging my head against the door.

Tamma opened the door swiftly. I fell backwards at her feet.

"What do you mean it's too late?"

"He has a girl in there with him."

"That's impossible. I just talked to him an hour ago."

"I know what I heard."

"That makes no sense."

"Yeah, well, apparently it's making complete sense to whatever girl he's banging in there."

"You're sure you went to the right room."

"His room is 318?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm sure."

Tamma sat down next to me, a little dumbfounded.

"Kat, I just talked to him."

"It's not your fault, Tamma. He's changed his mind again. He's entitled. See, this was what I was afraid of. Without meaning to, Phil broke my heart again."

Tamma put her arm around my shoulders.

"Want to go get some ice cream? Put in Thor or something?"

"You know, I think this is a problem that even ice cream and Chris Hemsworth's abs can't fix."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll give an answer tomorrow. Tonight, I think I'm just going to cry myself to sleep."


	9. Chapter 9: Why haven't you answered?

"Why do you not answer your phone when I call?" was the first thing out of Colt's mouth when I answered my phone.

"I'm sorry, I've been a tad busy. John and I had a few Make a Wish meetings. We then had our weekly meeting with Vince, gym time, etc. What can I help you with?" I informed him.

"Have you talked to Punk yet?"

"Did you not just hear me? No, I haven't talked to anyone yet. John and I have been incredibly busy. I'm just now getting some food."

"He's searching for you."

"I'm not surprised by this but I don't have any intentions on speaking with him right now."

"Now isn't the time to be stubborn." Colt said, annoyed.

"I'm not being stubborn. If I talk to him, I'm going to tell him off. I can't tell him off while at the building so it's going to have to wait until later."

"Listen to me right now, Kris. That wasn't Punk in the room last night."

"Excuse me?"

"I talked to Tamma earlier who filled me in on last night, since, once again, you didn't return my calls. Punk wasn't in his room last night. He crashed on Zack Ryder's floor."

"Why would he have done that?"

"Because Kofi's wife surprised him by showing up. Punk was giving them some privacy."

"So the couple that I heard last night…"

"Was Kofi and Chi-Chi." He finished.

I took a moment to let everything process.

"Phil was in Zack's room." I repeated.

"Playing video games. He fell asleep on the floor. Zack even posted a picture of it on Twitter. I'm surprised you didn't see it."

"As I said, I've been busy. This is the first opportunity I've had to check my phone all day."

"Are you okay?" Colt asked after a minute.

"I'm glad you got up with me, Scotty. I almost did something incredibly stupid."

"That's what I'm here for. Are you going to talk to Punk?"

"Of course but I can't right now. I'll have to catch up with him later. I will need time to properly talk to him. This isn't the kind of situation where you just blurt out your feelings before you head to the ring."

"I understand. You don't have that much time. You do realize that he didn't renew his contract. He's leaving in a few weeks."

"I know. He told me. Whether or not he's under contract does not have an impact on us. We can still be together without the WWE." I teased.

"Kris, I know that but you want him to re-sign, don't you? If you do, the time is running out on convincing him. If anyone could, it's you."

"I'll see what I can do. I've got to go now. Personal time is over."

"Good luck. Love you."

"Love you too."


	10. Chapter 10: Is it too late?

As much as I wanted to run talk to Phil right then, I knew we didn't have the time that I wanted to devote. Punk had a promo earlier in the night then a match later. John and I had our segments as well. I knew it would have to wait until after the show went off the air.

John and I were backstage cutting a promo to the live crowd. Phil interjected himself into the camera shot.

"You haven't returned my calls. I need to talk to you." He said, ignoring the camera and John's protest.

"P, now is not the time." I told him, trying to back him out of the shot. Phil grabbed my arm.

"Is it too late?"

"What?"

"That's your question, isn't it? The question you need to have answered. Is it too late for us?"

I looked at him a bit taken back and nodded.

"Well?" he prodded.

"Now isn't the time. We'll talk later. Working now." I told him, pointing to John and the camera man.

"We're live right now. This isn't the time for that conversation. I'll talk to you later, I promise." I informed him.

John had a table match for the main event against R-Truth. I was told that R-Truth was going to win thanks to interference by The Miz. To my surprise, Phil was the one who ran out. I watched him draw John out of the ring where the two men exchanged punches. Phil slid in the ring where John picked him up for his finisher but Phil slipped out. As soon as he did, R-Truth speared John through a table that had been set up, giving him the win. I shoved Phil, asking him what he thinks he is doing. I slid in the ring next to a battered John Cena.

I covered our faces with my long hair so the fans couldn't tell we were talking. We still whispered to make sure our voices couldn't be picked up by the microphone that is under the ring.

"Did you know it was going to be Phil and not Miz?" I whispered to John.

"Yes. Now watch as your guy makes history. This is going to be epic." He whispered back.


	11. Chapter 11: Phil's shoot promo

Phil cut what would now be a famous shoot promo announcing that he would be leaving the WWE when his contract was up in a few weeks. I was still in the ring, checking on John. Phil was sitting on the top of the ramp, legs crossed, letting his thoughts and feelings be heard.

"John Cena, while you lay there hopefully as uncomfortable as you possibly can be, I want you to listen to me. I want you to digest this because before I leave in three weeks with your WWE championship, I have a LOT of things I want to get off my chest."

I was attempting to break apart of the table that had started to fold onto John, watching Phil as he sat at the top of the stage.

"I don't hate you, John." Phil continued. "I don't even dislike you. I do like you. I like you a whole hell of a lot more than most of the people in the back. I hate this idea that you're the best. Because you're not. I'm the best. I'm the best in the world. There's one thing that you're better at than I am and that's kissing Vince McMahon's ass. You're as good at kissing Vince's ass as Hulk Hogan was! I don't know if you're as good as _Dwayne_ though. He's a pretty good ass kisser." Phil said about The Rock.

"Always was and still is. Oops, I'm breaking the 4th wall."

I turned my attention to the screen above him as he looked directly and the camera and waved at it.

"I am the best wrestler in the world. I've been the best ever since day one when I walked into this company, and I have been villain-fied and hated since that day because Paul Heyman saw something in me that no one else wanted to admit."

I finally got John to roll off the table. The crowed booed a little bit at Paul Heyman's name.

"That's right; I'm a Paul Heyman guy. You know who else is a Paul Heyman guy? Brock Lesnar. And he split, just like I'm splitting. And the biggest difference between me and Brock is that I'm going to leave with the WWE championship. I've grabbed so many of Vincent K. McMahon's imaginary brass rings that it's finally dawned on me that it's just that. Completely imaginary. The only thing that's real is me and day in and day out for almost six years that I have proved to everybody in the world that I'm the best. On this microphone, in that ring, even at commentary! Nobody can touch me! And yet, no matter how many times I prove it, I'm not on your lovely little collector's cups. I'm not on the cover of the program. I'm barely promoted. I don't get to be in movies. I'm certainly not on any crappy show on the USA Network. I'm not on the poster for Wrestlemania. I'm not in the signature that's produced at the start of the show. I'm not on Conan O'Brian. I'm not on Jimmy Fallon. But the fact of the matter is I should be and trust me, this isn't sour grapes. But the fact is that Dwayne is in the main event at Wrestlemania next year and I'm not makes me sick!"

The crowd started to cheer for him. John was now leaning up against a turnbuckle. I held my arm around his waist to help prop him up as we continued to watch.

"Oh hey, let me get this one thing straight. Those of you who are cheering me right now, you are just as big of a part of me leaving as everything else. Because you're the ones sipping out of those collector cups right now. You are the ones buying the programs that my face isn't on the cover of. Then at 5 in the morning at the airport, you try to shove it in my face so you can get an autograph then try to sell it on EBay because you're too lazy to go get a real job."

"I'm leaving with the WWE championship on July 17th and hell, who knows. Maybe I'll go defend it in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Maybe I'll go back to Ring of Honor." He then turned to the side camera and waved. "Hey, Colt Cabana, how are you doing?"

Phil's attention briefly shifted to me.

"And the woman that I love has been at ringside with you, John, for far too long because Vince McMahon believes the crowd would boo you out of the building if it wasn't for her. And he's right. She's been with you for, what, four or has it been five years? She's the reason you've stayed on top." then his voice went a little softer. "I hope to everything in this world that it isn't too late for us, Krissy." Then he picked back up where he left off.

"The reason I'm leaving is you people is because after I'm gone you're still going to pour money into this company. I'm just a spoke on the wheel. The wheel is going to keep turning and I understand that. Vince McMahon is going to make money despite himself. He's a millionaire that should be a billionaire. And you know why he isn't a billionaire is because he surrounds himself with glad handed, non-sensical yes men like Laurinaitis who is going to tell him everything that he wants to hear."

"And I'd like to think that this company will be better after Vince McMahon's dead but the fact is it's going to get taken over by his idiotic daughter and his doofus son in law and the rest of his stupid family. Let me tell you a personal story about Vince McMahon, alright? We do this whole-"and the microphone cut off. Phil slapped the microphone then realized what happened.


	12. Chapter 12: Aftermath

Phil stood up and continued on his rant even with the microphone being shut off. I was filled with a strong mixture of emotions as my mind ran through what I just witnessed. I didn't want to wait until later to talk to him. I felt like if I didn't tell him right then, I would explode. I looked over at John, who read the look on my face.

"Go." he instructed me.

I hopped out of the ring and stood at the edge of the ramp as Phil was standing up now, ranting about his microphone being turned off.

"Phil!" I called to him.

He stopped yelling and turned towards me. I bit my bottom lip and shook my head.

"It's not too late." I told him, smiling.

That was all that he needed to hear. We rushed towards each other, catching each other in the middle of the ramp. The crowd exploded as we embraced. We wrapped our arms around each other, deepening the kiss. We broke our kiss after a minute, getting so caught up in each other that we forgot that we were in front of a crowd of thousands. Our foreheads touched as I bit my lip, giggling slightly. Phil scooped me up in his arms as we waved to the live crowd before exiting through the curtain.

Most of the locker room was there to congratulate us and to show support for Phil's promo. Phil stood stoic as their affirmations flowed. Vince shook his head, saying that it was a shame he wouldn't resign. They could possibly make a lot of money after that. Phil stood behind me, wrapping his arms around me almost as if he was afraid if he broke contact, it would have all be a dream. He bent his head down and kissed my hair.

"You still smell like cherry blossoms." He whispered, kissing the top of my ear then a spot on my left shoulder.


	13. Chapter 13: end of story

Thanks everyone for reading! Feel free to let me know what you loved or hated about this story. And yes, Punk's shoot promo is pretty much word for word. lol Feel free to contact me here, leave a review, or hit me up on Twitter ( refbabe) and tune in to see the next part in Kristina and Phil's story.


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